Nonrefillable bottle



Nov. 14, 1% T. F. KOLTS NONREFILLABLE BOTTLE Filed April 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 14, 1939. T. F., KOLTS NONREFILLABLE BOTTLE Filed April 2, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 M Ian/aw [/Ztomgya New. M, 1939. T. F. KOLTS NONREFILLABLE BOTTLE Filed April 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1- Z9 4 i fy/0 Patented ov. 14, 1939 NONBEFILLABLE BOTTLE Tennies F. Knits, Chicago, IlL,

assignor, by

rnesne assignments, to Warren Buckley, Chicago, ill.

Application April 2, 1937, Serial No. 134,504

Claims.

This invention relates to nonrefillable bottles and the primary object is to effectively prevent refilling of the bottle after the original contents have been emptied therefrom.

Another object is to prevent removal of a closure for the bottle without leaving evidence of the closure having been tampered with.

A further object is to provide a closure for a bottle which will eifectively prevent refilling thereof without obstructing free discharge of the original contents of the bottle therefrom.

A still further object is to provide a closure for a bottle which will effectively prevent refilling thereof but enable the pouring of the original contents therefrom without inverting the bottle to a substantially vertical inverted position.

Still further objects are to provide a closure for a bottle which will effectively prevent refilling thereof after the original contents have been poured therefrom wherein the original contents may be poured when the bottle is in a substantially horizontal position; to provide a novel closure which will effectively close the outlet of a bottle to prevent refilling thereof regardless of the position in which the bottle may be held at the time of the attempted refilling and regardless of whether or not a vacuum is established in the bottle; to provide a novel closure for a bottle which will automatically seal the opening therein when the bottle is placed in normal vertical upright position; and to provide a closure which will effectively prevent refilling of a bottle after the original contents have been poured therefrom which closure is of simple and economical construction and efiicient and positive operation.

Selected embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings where- Fig. l is a sectional view of the preferred form of my closure showing the closure installed on a bottle partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the bottle in initial pouring position;

Fig. 3 is an exploded View of the closure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 1 showing another form of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the closure of Fig. 4 showing the parts of the closure in position immediately prior to the pouring position;

Fig. 6 shows the parts of the closure of Fig. 4 in the initial pouring position;

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of some of the parts of the closure of Fig. 4;

(Cl. zi -22) Fig. 8 is a sectional view of another form of closure;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the closure of Fig. 8 showing the closure in pouring position;

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the follower used in the closure of Fig. 8; and

11 is a sectional view of another form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, a hollow casing 62, Fig. l, is fitted onto an opening in the neck of the bottle l3 by means of a thin cylindrical retaining device it. The bottle neck is grooved at it around the periphery thereof and the retaining device has a groove spun therein after placement on the bottle which is complementary to the groove 15 of the bottle. The retaining device may be made of any suitable material but I have found aluminum to be a very satisfactory material from which to make the retaining device because it is light in weight, can be made very thin and spins easily although the working of the material received during the spinning operation tends to harden the material so that it cannot be removed without leaving evidence of the removal. The retaining device is bent slightly at it to securely anchor the device in the casing l2 which is made of a moldable material and molded directly on the retaining device M. The casing l2 has an opening ll therethrough which receives an ordinary stopper ll preferably made of cork having the usual grip portion l8 secured thereon. A bead I9 is provided around the periphery of the casing l2 adjacent the end of the opening ll therethrough. The bead serves the purpose of preventing dripping of liquid down the side of the closure and bottle after a pouring operation.

A hollow open-ended valve housing 2t having an external flange 25 at its periphery is arranged in a suitable recess in the end of the casing ii. The valve housing has a further flange 22 extending inwardly at its lower end which flange is provided with a valve seat 23. A shoulder M is arranged on the inside of the valve housing to receive a deflecting ring 25. The deflecting ring is arranged in the valve housing with a drive fit so that it is securely held in place against the shoulder 24. The valve housing itself is also arranged with a drive fit in the recess provided therefor in the casing l2.

A hollow valve body 2% open at one end and provided with a flange 2! on the closed end thereof is secured in the casing l2 with a drive fit in a recess provided therefor and is held in place by the valve housing. A plurality of openings 28 are provided in the flange 21 to provide for communication between the chamber 29 arranged between the valve body and valve housing and the chamber 3i! arranged between the valve body and easing. A plurality of elongated slots 3! are provided in the valve body near the lower end thereof and extend on both sides of the deflecting ring 25. The valve body fits inside the deflecting ring 25 with a drive fit and the lower end of the body engages the flange 22 on the valve housing. The internal surface of the valve body between the slots 3! and the flanged end thereof is made frusto-conical in shape for a purpose to be later described.

A valve 32 is arranged in the valve body and is provided with a peripheral flange 33 adapted to seat on the valve seat 23 to normally close communication from the chamber 29 to the inside of the bottle. The valve is preferably made hollow and open at one end with a cork seal 34 closing the open end. This particular structure of the valve is for the purpose of rendering the valve as light as possible so that it will be buoyant and float readily for a purpose to be later described.

A ball 35 preferably made of relatively heavy metal is arranged between the valve 32 and the closed end of the valve body where it is free to engage the frusto-conical inner surface of the body and the closed end of the valve.

The ball 35 will rest on valve 32 holding the flange 33 against the valve seat 23 to eifectively close communication between the interior of the bottle and the chamber 29 by reason of the weight of the ball long as the bottle is in any position between the vertical and a position wherein a side of the conical surface of the interior of the valve body is horizontal. Tipping the bottle further to place this side at a declining angle with the horizontal will allow the ball to roll thereon, Fig. 2, toward the apex of the cone relieving its pressure against the valve and permitting the flange 33 to unseat. The liquid will then flow into the chamber 29 below the deflecting ring 25 thence through the slots 3! to the inside of the valve body and back through the slots 3| to the chamber 29 above the ring 25 and thence through the openings 23 into the chamber '30 and through the opening ll into the receiving receptacle.

When the bottle is nearly full of a liquid pouring will start a little sooner during the tipping of the bottle than has just been described due tothe force of the liquid on the valve tending to unseat the valve a little sooner during the tipping than is illustrated in Fig. 2.

When pouring a liquid from a bottle it is obvious that air must enter the bottle to replace the liquid being poured therefrom during the pouring operation. During pouring air will enter the opening ll at the top and pass through the top openings 25 in the valve body into the top of the chamber 29 around the ring 25, through the slots 3|, and past the valve seat 23 into the bottle.

It is obviously impossible to refill an empty bottle having my closure thereon when the bottle is in normal vertical position as the weight of the ball resting on the valve 32 seats the flange 33 on the valve seat 23 closing off communication to the inside of the bottle. If the bottle is immersed in a liquid and tilted to a position substantially that of Fig. 2, the liquid will enter the opening ll, pass through the openings 28 into the chamber 29 and contact the valve 32. As has been described, the valve 32 is hollow and light in weight and will float on the liquid passing inside the valve body. The valve will float into place so that the flange thereon will engage the seat 23 closing off communication. It is to be noted that this floating action will take place regardless of the position of the ball 35. The ring 25 is provided to direct flow of liquid through the chamber 29 so that the liquid will rush against the valve positively insuring it floating against the valve seat. The flange 3 3 is provided on the valve to further insure seating of the valve because the liquid flowing through the slots 3! around the ring 25 will flow against the flange and regardless of the floating action of the valve will force the flange against the valve seat.

Applying means to the bottle to create a vacuum. therein for the purpose of refilling the bottle will be of no avail inasmuch as when the bottle is immersed in a liquid the vacuum creating device must be maintained connected to the bottle to permit unseating of the valve and this alone tends to prevent refilling. However, if some ingenious vacuum creating device is applied to the bottle whereby the valve may remain unseated after the vacuum has been created and the bottle immersed in a liquid, the rush of liquid into the bottle to fill the vacuum will float the valve into engagement with its seat effectively preventing refilling.

It is to be further noted that it is impossible to insert any device through the opening I! which can mechanically engage the valve to hold it unseated for the purpose of refilling the bottle. Any such device would necessarily have to turn amultitude of corners in passing through the opening il to the interior of the bottle and it is inconceivable that such a device could be developed.

The foregoing described form of my closure comprises only two moving parts, namely, the ball 35 and the valve 32. The ball being round moves readily without binding. The valve 32 is extremely light and little friction can develop between it and its engaging parts and to lessen this slight friction I have rounded the edge of the flange 33 so that there will be but one point of contact between the flange and the valve body. I likewise have rounded the outside corner at the closed end of the valve to lessen the friction at this point.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, the deflecting ring 25 is dispensed with and a hollow valve body 36 open at one end and provided with a flange 21 on the closed end thereof is secured in the casing I 2 with a drive fit in a recess provided therefor and is held in place by the valve housing. Openings 23 are provided in the flange 27 to provide for communication between the chamber 29 arranged between the valve body and valve housing and the chamber 30 arranged between the valve body and casing. The slots 3! of the form of invention illustrated in Fig. 1 are dispensed with. The internal surface of the valve body at the closed end thereof is substantially hemispherical in shape at 31 and adjoins a surface 38 which has the shape of a spherical zone. The surface 38 merges into a cylindrical surface 39 which extends to the open end of the valve body. The surface 3'! is slightly greater than a hemisphere so' that when the ball engages this surface and the bottle is place in a horizontal position the ball will be held thereon until the bottle is tipped with the closure end slightly above the horizontal before rolling off of this surface.

A valve 40 is arranged in the valve body and is provided with a peripheral flange 4! adapted to seat on the valve seat 23 to normally close communication from the chamber 29 to the inside of the bottle. The valve is preferably made hollow at one end for the purpose of rendering the valve as light as possible so that it will float. The valve is made of two parts, a hollow part generally V-s'hape in cross-section and having the flange ll around the periphery thereof, and a solid part it) also of v shape configuration in cross-section which engages the open end of the hollow part with a drive fit inside of the flange 4!. The solid part M of the valve is preferably made rounded at the apex thereof to eliminate binding which would occur where the apex pointed. A follower 42 is placed inside of the valve body 36 and comprises a disc of substantially the same diameter as the opening of the valve body but is fitted therein for complete freedom of movement without binding. The disc is adapted to engage on one side thereof the ball 35. The periphery of the disc is rounded to eliminate as much friction as possible. Centrally disposed on the valve engaging side of the disc which is opposite to the ball engaging side is an integral cylinder which receives the rounded apex of the solid part of the valve M].

When it is desired to pour liquid from the bottle of this form of the invention the bottle is tipped to the angle substantially as shown in Fig. 5 which shows the ball about to roll over the juncture of the surfaces 3'! and 38 thereby releasing its pressure against the follower S2 and allowing the flange M on the valve 4% to fall away from the valve seat 23. Slightly further tipping the bottle will place it in the position shown in Fig. 6 wherein the ball has fallen over the juncture of the surfaces 3? and 38 and the valve flange M has become unseated permitting the liquid to flow from the bottle into the chamber 29, through the openings 28 into the chamber 38 and thence out of the closure through the opening l1 into a receiving receptacle. Tipping the bottle back toward normal vertical position will allow the ball to roll back over the juncture of the surfaces 31 and t onto the surface 38 just after the bottle has passed through horizontal position during this movement. The ball then pushes against the follower 42 to reseat the valve flange M on the valve seat 23.

The valve 42 will float by reason of the solid part being made of extremely light material and the remaining part of the valve being hollow so that any attempt to pass liquid into the bottle through the closure will float the valve so that its flange will engage the valve seat regardless of the position of the ball. The use of the vacuum creating device will be futile in this instance for the same reasons it would be futile in the form of the invention shown in Fig. l as has been described.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, the parts are the same as in the form shown in Figs. 4 to 7 except that the follower 63 and the solid part 44 of the valve 45] are of different shapes. The follower has a cylindrical outer surface and an inner surface of the shape of the frustum of a cone having a greater base angle than the base angle for the solid part 44 of the valve Ml. The solid part 44 is more pointed at its apex than the part Ml of Fig. 4 and the apex normally extends through the conical opening in the follower to engage the ball 35 directly. The friction between the cylindrical surface of the follower 43 and the inner cylindrical surface of the valve body 36 is slight but sufficient to prevent the follower from falling of its own weight which is also slight when the bottle is in normal vertical position. Fig. 9 illustrates the position the parts of this form of the invention take when the bottle is tipped into pouring position.

Another form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 11. This form is similar to the form illustrated in Fig. 1 except that the ball engaging surface of the valve ll] is in the shape of a segment of a sphere so that when the bottle is in normal vertical position the ball will center itself on the valve. The lower part of the valve 4i] is substantially conical and hollow like the hollow parts of the valves 40 in the forms illustrated in Figs. 4 and 8. The operation and function of this form of the invention is like that of the form of Fig. 1.

My invention in all its forms provides a closure for a bottle which effectively prevents refilling of the bottle after the original contents have beenemptied therefrom and prevents removal of the closure without leaving evidence of the tampering and further provides for free flowing of the contents of the bottle therefrom when and as desired without the necessity of tipping the bottle to an inverted vertical position. The closure permits pouring of the bottle contents when the bottle is in substantially horizontal position. This is desirable because when the bottle is held in inverted vertical position air must enter the bottle as the contents are poured therefrom to displace the contents and the bottle may become air-bound and in any event renders pouring a slow and tedious operation. My invention has overcome the necessity for inverting the bottle completely and thereby renders the pouring more satisfactory.

While I have illustrated and described selected embodiments of my invention it isto be understood that these are capable of variation. and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A closure for a bottle and comprising a casing having an opening therethrough, nonremovable means securing the casing to the bottle, a valve housing having a Valve seat therein secured in said casing, a hollow valve body secured in said housing and spaced therefrom at one end, said body being closed at the other end thereof and having intersecting rounded inside surfaces at said closed end of said bottle, a weight in the body at said closed end and engageable with said rounded surfaces, a buoyant tippable valve movably retained in the body at the opposite end thereof, said valve comprising a hollow part and a solid part, said solid part being of a generally conical shape, said hollow part having a flange thereon adapted tonormally engage said valve seat and to be held in engagement therewith by said weight, and a follower in said body between the weight and the solid part of the valve to facilitate operation of the valve whereby the weight is removed from said valve upon tipping of the bottle as the weight passes from one rounded surface to the other and the valve is removed from engagement with the seat to discharge liquid frem the bottle through the closure and introduction of liquid into the bottle is prevented by the valve floating against the seat to effectively close communication into the bottle.

2. A closure for a bottle and comprising a casing having an opening therethrough, nonremovable means securing the casing to the bottle, a

valve housing having a valve seat therein secured in said casing, a hollow valve body secured in said housing and spaced therefrom at one end, said body being closed at the other end thereof and having intersecting rounded inside surfaces at said closed end of said bottle, a weight in the body at said closed end and engageable with said rounded surfaces, a buoyant tippable valve movably retained in the body at the opposite end thereof, said valve comprising a hollow part and a solid part, said solid part being of a generally conical shape and rounded at its apex, said hollow part having a flange thereon adapted to normally engage said valve seat and to be held in engagement therewith by a weight, and a follower in said body between the weight and the rounded end of said solid part of the valve to facilitate operation of the valve whereby the weight is removed from said valve upon tipping oi": the bottle as the weight passes from one rounded surface to the other and the valve is removed from engage-- ment with the seat to discharge liquid from the bottle through the closure and introduction liquid into the bottle is prevented by the valve floating against the seat to effectively close communication into the bottle.

3. A closure for a bottle and comprising a casing having an opening therethrough, nonremovable means securing the casing to the bottle, a valve housing having a valve seat therein secured in said casing, a hollow valve body secured in said housing, said body being closed at one end thereof, a weight in the body at said closed end, a buoyant tippable valve movably retained in the body at the opposite end thereof and adapted to normally engage said valve seat and to be held in engagement therewith by the weight, said valve having conical pointed ends, and a follower secured in said body for axial movement therein and having a conical opening therethrough to receive a conical end of said valve to facilitate operation of said valve whereby the weight is removed from said valve by tipping of the bottle and the valve is removed from engagement with the seat to discharge liquid from the bottle through the closure and introduction of the liquid into the bottle is prevented by the valve floating against the seat to eifectively close communication into the bottle.

4. A closure for a bottle and comprising a casing having an opening therethrough, nonremovable means securing the casing to the bottle, a valve housing having a valve seat therein secured in casing, a hollow valve body secured in said housing and spaced therefrom at one end, said body be'ng closed at the other end thereof and having intersecting IOlll'lClGC. inside surfaces at said closed end of said body, a weight in the body at said closed end and engageable with said rounded s rfaces, a buoyant tippable valve movably retained in the body at the opposite end thereof and adapted to normally engage said valve seat and to be held in engagement therewith by the weig t, said valve comprising a hollow and a solid part of a generally conical shape, said parts being secured together at their bases to form a valve pointed at its ends, and a follower secured in said body for axial movement therein and l'iaving a conical opening therethrough to receive a conical end of said valve to facilitate operation of said vaive whereby the weight is removed noni said valve upon tipping of the bottle as the weight passes from one rounded surface to the other and the valve is removed from ent with the seat to discharge liquid from e through the closure and introduction of liquid into the bottle is prevented by the valve floating against the seat to effectively close communcation into the bottle.

TENNIES F. KOLTS. 

